Shock absorber golf club



May l2, 1942- K. SMITH SHOCK ABSORBER GOLF CLUB Filed Feb. 5, 1940- ATTORNEYS Patented May 12, 1942Y UNIT-Eo Y"rss- ATENT OFFICE 2 claims.

This invention relates to golf clubs and particularly the zone of connection between the shaft and hosel thereof, Vand the primary object is to provide means at such Zone for absorbing the shock caused byv impact with the ball and for permitting a limited amount of flexing on the part of a portion of the length of the shaft within the hosel.

One of the important aims of this invention is to provide novel and unique shock absorbing elements at the joint between a golf club shaft and hosel, which elements are held in operative position by certain surfaces of the shaft and hosel that cooperate to create confining surfaces within which said shock absorbing elements are disposed.

This invention has for a still further object the provision of a shock absorbing sleeve for golf clubs of the metal type, which sleeve circumscribes a substantial length of that portion of the golf club shaft, confined within the hosel, to permit lateral flexing without vibration and to provide means for quickly returning the shaft to the normal position in alignment with the hosel after the ball has been struck.

An even further object of the invention is the provision of a shock absorbing sleeve for golf clubs the blank for which is so formed as to present means for constantly urging the sleeve into the space intended therefor as the club is subjected to use.

The relation of parts and the manner of assembling the golf club embodying this invention, constitute additional objects, many of which will become apparent to one skilled in the art as the following specification is understood, and some of which will be definitely indicated through the description of the elements embodying the same. The illustrated embodiment in the accompanying drawing exemplifies the preferred form of the invention. In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a golf club of the iron type embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed longitudinal sectional view through that portion of the golf club at the zone of connection between shaft and hosel- Fig. 3 is a cross sectional View through the club taken on line III III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 2.

Fig, 5 is a perspective stretch-out View of the inter-engaging parts at the joint of the club between shaft and hosel.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational View of the blank used in forming the shock absorbing sleeve; and Fig. '7 is an enlarged end elevational view of the shook absorbing sleeve illustrating its initial fori prior to introduction intothe hosel.v v

It has been discovered through actual use oi golf clubs made precisely as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, that the necessary amount of restricted flexing on the part of thev shaft, to isolate the players hands from objectional Vibrations caused by striking the golf ball, is accomplished when* a major part of the shaft of reduced diameter within the hosel, is allowed to move laterally against a. relatively long shock absorbing sleeve disposed immediately above an abrupt shoulder, about the annular edge of which the shaft may bend. The introduction of such a relatively long shock absorbing sleeve, the manner of maintaining the same in operative condition, and the way of forming the hosel and shaft to hold the sleeve in proper position, are all important features that must be followed accurately when constructing a golf club as contemplated by this invention.

The iron head I0 of the golf club is pro-vided I with the conventional striking face I2, and with an integral hosel I4.

When preparing hosel I4 to receive the end of shaft I6, the same should be treated so as to provide a socket I8 that extends inwardly from the free end thereof. This socket is Vtapered in that the diameter at the end of hosel I'4 is-greater than the diameter of the socket at its innermost end.

A tapered bore 2D is in communication with f socket I8 and in longitudinal alignment therewith but of a diameter substantially less than the smallest diameter of socket I8.

An annular internalr shoulder 22 having an outwardly facing surface is formed on and perpendicular tothe inner face of the hosel at the zone of juncture between socket I8 and bore 23;

Shaft I6 may be of the conventional type so long as it has a tapered portion 24 of reduced diameter at one end to snugly t into tapered bore 20 and to pass through socket IB so that an annular space is left between the innerwall of hosel I4, forming socket I8, and the outer face l of reduced portion 24.

An annular shoulder 26 formed on shaft I6 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft and when the parts shown in Fig. 5, are assembled as indicated in Fig. 2, this shoulder 26 is in opposed relation to shoulder 22.

Less than one-half of tapered portion 24 isV snugly heldv within tapered Ioore' 20 by .pin 28.

This pin is inserted along a line on a plane whereon the longitudinal axis of head I0 is disposed and when pin 28 is driven to position, the lower part of tapered portion 24 is securely anchored within bore 20. Flexing of this part of portion 24 in bore 26 cannot occur under normal playing conditions because of the comparative freedom of movement which is permitted on behalf of tapered portion 24 that passes through socket I8.

When shaft I6 is positioned as just described, shoulder 26 overlies the end of hosel I4 and in the preferred embodiment, a spacer 30 is interposed between shoulder 26 and this said end of hosel I4. Spacer 30 does not alter the function of shoulder 26 as regards its ability to maintain the hereinafter described shock absorbing sleeve in place with a shoulder bearing each annular end thereof.

Reference to Fig. 6 indicates the manner in which the blank is formed for the production of sleeve 32. This blank v34 is cut from a sheet of leather, or similar fibrous substance, and to fulfill the requirements exacted of the shock absorbing sleeve 32 which is contemplated by this invention, this blank 34 must be polygonal and have two parallel opposed edges 36 and 36 respectively, and two opposed angled edges 40 and 42 respectively. The blank is narrower at edge 36 than at edge 36, and angled edges 40 and 42 progressively approach each other as edge 38 is approached from edge 36.

i Each angled edge 4D and 42 is provided with a tapered marginal portion 44 and 46 respectively. The inclined faces of these tapered marginal portions 44 and 46 are brought together in overllapping relation, as indicated in Fig. 7- when blank 34 is formed to create sleeve. 32.

The thickness ofthe flat sheet of brous material from which blank 34 is cut, should be substantially the same as the distance between .the inner annular face of hosel I4 forming socket I8, and the outer inclined annular face of tapered portion 24 on shaft I6. At best it is desirable to have the thickness of the material from which blank 34 is formed, slightly greater than the space which it is to fill so that when the shaft is anchored in position, a slight amount of compression is setv up.

When sleeve 32 is in place, the joint established by overlapping marginal portions 44 and 46, should be in a plane the same as that assumed by anchoring pin 28. An additional amount of compression at this joint will establish a tendency in the entire body of the sleeve to fill every available space that is present or created through use of the club. Thus, when tapered portion 24 flexes to the position shown in dotted lines of Fig. 2, sleeve 32 is compressed along a line in a plane perpendicular to the plane in which lies the axis of pin 22 and the overlapping marginal portions 44 and 46. If constant use of the club doeshave a tendency to reduce the thickness of sleeve 32, the inclined faces of marginal portions 44 and 46 will act to force the material of sleeve 32 into any space available.

While sleeve 32 is being maintained in an efficient operating condition by the very manner of producing the same, its position between shoulders 22 and 26 is such as to further preclude a loss of its resiliency and shock absorbing qualities. The inner end of sleeve 32 rests directly upon shoulder 22, while the upper end thereof, is against spacer 30. The length of sleeve 32 is slightly greater than one-half the length of tapered portionl 24 and whenl this length is maintained at approximately 11/4 in. a sufcient amount of flexing when the ball is struck, is permitted to definitely create an absence of shock to the players hands and to overcome the effect of torque which would undoubtedly be present if the parts were not assembled as hereinabove described and made as specied.

While it is conceivable that golf clubs having different physical characteristics than that shown and described, it will be found that benefits arising from the invention will best be realized when the precise form and arrangement of parts disclosed, is followed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by y Letters Patent is:

1. In a golf club having a rigid metal, unitar head and hosel, provided with a socket extending inwardly from the outer end of the hosel, and a tapered bore, in communication with the socket, extending from the bottom of the socket in longitudinal alignment therewith; a exible steel shaft having a tapered portion of reduced diameter at one end thereof extending through the socket and into said bore with its outer face in tigh engagement with the inner face of the hosel within the bore and with the outer face of the portion thereof extending through the socket in spaced relation to the inner face of the hosel within the socket; a pin passing through the hosel and that part of the shaft extending into the bore thereof; the combination of an annular internal shoulder, having an outwardly facing surface, formed on and perpendicular to the inner face of the hosel at the zone of juncture between said socket and said bore; another annular shoulder formed on the shaft at the line of juncture between the tapered portion and the remaining part of the shaft, this said last mentioned shoulder having a surface in opposed relation to the annular internal shoulder on the hosel and in spaced parallel relation to the end of the hosel; a spacer ring of' fibrous, yieldable material such as leather, interposed between the annular shoulder on the shaft and the end of the hosel; and a floating sleeve of fibrous, yieldable material, such as leather, formed to completely fill the space between the inner face of the hosel and the outer face of that part of the shaft in the socket, said sleeve having its inner end abutting the shoulder formed on the inner face of the hosel, and the-other end thereof abutting the spacer ring, said sleeve comprising a sheet of fibrous material having two parallel opposed edges for abutting said shoulders respectively, and two opposed angled edges progressively approaching each other as one of the parallel edges is approached from the other.

2. In a golf club having a rigid metal, unitary head and hosel, provided with a socket extending inwardly from the outer end of the hosel, and a tapered bore, in communication with the socket, extending from the bottom of the socket in longitudinal alignment therewith; a flexible steel shaft having a tapered portion of reduced diameter at one end thereof extending through the socket, and into Asaid bore with its outer face in tight engagement with the inner face of the hosel within the bore and with the outer face of the portion thereof extending through the socket in spaced relation to the inner face of the hosel within the socket; av pin passing through the hosel and that part of thev shaft extending into the bore thereof; the combination of an annular internal shoulder, having an outwardly facing surface, formed on and perpendicular to the inner face of the hosel at the zone of juncture between said socket and said bore; another annular shoulder formed on the shaft at the line of juncture between the tapered portion and the remaining part of the shaft, this said last mentioned shoulder having a surface in opposed relation to the annular internal shoulder on the hosel and in spaced parallel relation to the end of the hosel; a spacer ring of brous, yieldable material such as leather, interposed between the annular shoulder on the shaft and the end of the hosel; and a floating sleeve of fibrous, yieldable material, such as leather, formed to completely ll the space between the inner face of the hosel and outer face of that part of the shaft in the socket, said sleeve having its inner end abutting the shoulder formed on the. inner face of the hosel, and the other end thereof abutting the spacer ring, said sleeve comprising a sheet of brous material having two parallel opposed edges for abutting said shoulders respectively,

two opposed angled edges progressively approaching each other as one of the parallel edges is approached from the other, and a tapered marginal portion along each angled edge of the sheet, said tapered portions being in overlapping relation and compressed to a greater degree than the remaining portion of said ksleeve whereby to establish a force tending toovercome any tendency of the sleeve to vacate any part of the space between the outer face of the shaft and the inner face of the hosel.

KENNETH SMITH. 

